


Nigredo

by HandmaidenOfHorror



Category: Marvel (House of M), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - House of M, Bodyguard Kitty, Established Relationship, F/F, Queen Ororo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27777238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HandmaidenOfHorror/pseuds/HandmaidenOfHorror
Summary: Ororo Munro, the Queen of Kenya, is in a happy and loving relationship with Kitty Pryde. But happiness never lasts for the X-Men, does it?
Relationships: Ororo Munroe/Kitty Pryde
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Nigredo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [periwinklepromise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/periwinklepromise/gifts).



> "In analytical psychology, 'Nigredo' became a metaphor for 'the dark night of the soul, when an individual confronts the shadow within'." (Wikipedia)

_„Good morning, beloved.”_

These were the words Her Majesty Queen Ororo of Kenya greeted her lover every morning she woke up. To the outside world, Katherine Pryde was her personal bodyguard, an American woman whose intangibility powers were perfect in aiding the monarch in case of escape. Unfortunately, despite the monarch having been focusing on the well-being of the people of hers and of surrounding nations for years, many simply couldn’t accept a mutant as a head of government – especially not a mutant woman. And, as heartbreaking as it sounds, Pryde has had to use her powers to aid her Queen on multiple occasions.

What the world didn’t know was that the bodyguard was also the Queen’s lover. Even when they first met, Ororo could clearly see that behind the mask of professionality Katherine was attracted to Her Majesty. It wasn’t something unusual, Ororo was aware of her beauty and the effect her presence had on people. What was unusual was that her bodyguard tried to hide her attraction, something most men Ororo interacted with never did. Ororo found it endearing. _Cute_. In these early days, she wasn’t fully certain how she felt about the other woman. She knew Pryde would never take the first step, so she took it instead.

_“Your Highness-“ Kitty attempted to start her report, but Ororo interrupted her._

_“Please call me Ororo. Nobody calls me by my name anymore, I miss it.”_

_“Woudn’t it be inappropriate?” Kitty asked._

_“Not when we are the only two present,” Ororo replied, smiling._

The crown was a burden to Ororo. She never wanted power, never wanted to rule, but she knew she had the ability to end conflicts and save people, and if she didn’t, most likely someone with less than noble intentions would take the place. She missed being simply Ororo.

_“Ororo! Take my hand, the gunmen are already inside!” Kitty yelled towards Ororo one day, managing to make both of them intangible seconds before a rain bullets fell upon the place they were standing._

Ororo’s heart started beating faster, not only because of the danger, but also because she was called by her name again. As they were running through the walls and floors ( _what a novel experience!_ ), hand in hand, Ororo felt as if she were a youngling again, running with her friends after committing petty theft in Cairo. She didn’t know she’d ever miss it! Ororo could have likely dispatched the would-be assassins herself with her immense powers, but she enjoyed being cared for, being saved. When the situation was under control, she kissed her bodyguard on her lips.

 _“Thank you, miss Pryde,”_ _she said as Katherine blushed fiercely. So cute!_

 _“Please call me Kitty, Ororo,”_ _Kitty replied._

_“Thank you, Kitty,” Ororo repeated, “For helping me and for calling me by my name.”_

From that point on the relationship between the two women moved quickly. They trusted each other more than they trusted anyone else. Ororo shared her thoughts and feelings, details of her past she has never shared with anyone, not since she had left Egypt. Kitty offered her means of escape not only in literal sense (though their occasional incognito trips to various parts of Nairobi certainly helped Ororo stay grounded and keep in touch with her people – and they were often so fun!), but also emotionally. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to continue on for so long without Kitty’s help.

But on that day, Kitty was acting strangely. It started on the night before. At some point, she disappeared from Ororo’s sight and when her absence started worrying the Queen, she returned, visibly upset, despite claiming that it was nothing. Ororo didn’t insist on talking about what it was that affected her much – she knew from experience that talking before being ready can lead to disastrous consequences. So as much as it pained her she left Kitty with her inner conflict that kept her awake long into the night. In the morning, Ororo greeted Kitty with her usual words:

“Good morning, beloved”

But instead of answering with the same words and a tired smile, Kitty gasped and disappeared. It took Ororo a second to realize that Kitty involuntarily shifted and phased through their bed. It never happened to her before, making Ororo worried. She got up to look for Kitty, only to meet her in the doorway.

“I’m sorry-“ Kitty said, catching her breath.

“I’m worried about you, Kitty,” said Ororo, leading Kitty to the comfiest armchair in their bedroom.

“I know and I’m sorry,” Kitty replied, “but things cannot continue as they are now.”

Ororo froze.

“What do you mean, Kitty?” she asked.

“It’s not about us!” she quickly replied, and then turned her gaze to the floor, “I mean, it’s about us, but not in the way you think, just, argh!”

Ororo hugged her.

“Whatever is happening, I am here and always will be,” she said gently.

“That’s the problem,” Kitty sounded as if she was sobbing, which, Ororor realized, she was.

“The ‘ _here_ ’ may not exist, it may be fake,” she finished.

“Kitty?” Ororo broke the hug and looked Kitty in the eyes, concerned.

“The reality, everything around us, it’s not as it originally was. A powerful reality warper changed the universe so that the mutants were the dominant species on Earth. You and I do exist and have always existed, but we were living completely different lives-“

“Kitty, who told you that?” Ororo asked. Had somebody come up with a plot to target her by targeting her lover first?

“It was me,” Kitty finally gazed directly at Ororo, eyes filled with tears, “I regained my memories. I know they are true. But in that world, mutants are few and persecuted, and you are not a queen but a warrior.”

“So,” Ororo started, unsure what to say next, “Do you mean to say that this world is fake?”

“No! I don’t know!” Kitty replied, “We did live the lives we lived, but we were not supposed to, before the reality was altered. And I don’t know if this is how it should be.”

“Do we know each other in that other world?” Ororo asked Kitty.

“Yeah,” Kitty replied, “I’m on a team with you and you love me as if I were your daughter.”

_Oh._

“Oh Kitty,” Ororo hugged her tight, Kitty returning the gesture.

“I don’t know what to do, Ororo,” Kitty cried out, “Should we try to get the original reality back, and risk losing the hard-won peace? Risk mutants being hunted again? Risk losing us?”

“I don’t know, Kitty,” Ororo replied, “Do you know who the reality warper is?”

“That’s another part of the problem,” Kitty replied, “It’s Princess Wanda.”

Oh.

“She did it to get her dead children back,” Kitty continued, “She won’t voluntarily return the world to the way it used to be.”

_Oh._

“That’s extremely complicated on many levels, isn’t it?” Kitty asked.

“It is,” Ororo replied.

A few minutes of silence followed.

“Do you think this world is better?” she finally asked.

“I’m not sure, but I want to believe it is,” Kitty replied.

“That’s good, “ Ororo said, and then kissed Kitty on the lips.

However, despite her nearly god-like powers, she had absolutely no idea how should she react to the revelation.

“Is there a way for me to regain my memories of that world?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Kitty replied.

 _“Goddess,”_ Ororo thought, _“Please help us.”_

The sun was shining brightly over Nairobi, but for Ororo and Kitty, it was as if moonless night descended on them.


End file.
